Hard Times
by Hot Donna
Summary: LinkxMalon: Link only fights for his love, but his love only wishes he wouldnt fight...can they come to terms with eachother before it's too late...(not good with summaries)


All she could see was the dark gray sky. She couldn't tell if it was because it was going to rain, or if it was coming from Death Mountain. But something was happening. Something bad. Her hair was lazily thrown across her face by the raging wind as she watched the fire burning. The flames seemed to be mocking her, telling her that he was never coming back to her. Telling her that he'd died and she would never see him again. Tears welled in her eyes.  
  
He'd promised her that he'd come back.  
  
Holding her bushy dress up in her balled fists, she let out a frustrated sob. Her bare feet sloshed in the damp grass as her footsteps quickened from a stunned stumble to a hasty run. She ran away from the ranch, despite her fathers voice booming for her to come back, despite the wind that was painfully whistling in her ear. She had to get to him. She had to see his body for herself. She had to make sure he was dead because she wouldn't let herself believe it without proof.  
  
The darkening skies quickly hid her view from her and she couldn't hardly see where she was going. But that didn't stop her because she didn't care. All she wanted to do was see him. She wanted some kind of proof. Hot tears seeped through her eyes and cascaded down her face. He wasn't gone. He just couldn't be gone.  
  
He promised her he was coming back.  
  
Feeling the concrete under her feet made her feel what was real. Pain. The rocks scratched at the bottom of her feet making her stumble a bit before her body finally gave in and she fell. She didn't know why she was falling apart. He wasn't gone. He had told her he would never leave her. So she didn't know what was wrong with her. Picking her head up off of the ground, she looked up to where Death Mountain should've been at. But all she could see was gray haze. A thick foggy smoke.  
  
Tears kept cascading down her face as she sat in the middle of Hyrule field and cried. She cupped her face in her hands and sobbed. She was going to stop crying. She had to. She was pretending as if he was gone when in reality, he wasn't. He wasn't going anywhere. He had told her that as soon as he handled some business there, he'd come back to her and they'd start a life together. And she told him she'd accept that. And you know what he told her?  
  
He promised her that he was going to come back.  
  
She laid down. She didn't have the strength to sit there anymore. She had to lay there lifeless and face reality. Only a god could survive an explosion like that. And Link, no matter how much he thought he was, he wasn't a god. He was just human. Just a normal person. And now she understood.  
  
He was never coming back.  
  
~~~  
  
Link walked down the flight of stairs that led to Kakariko Village with Epona by his side. He didn't want to ride right now, he wanted to think. He had had a long night. His head was bruised, he was limping slightly, but he was content with going home and being with Malon. He loved her. She was his everything. She was his reason for fighting all these battles. He didn't do it because the world was at risk. He did it because he wouldn't be able to stand himself knowing that he let something happen to her.  
  
Coughing roughly as he walked across Hyrule Field, he noticed a heap of clothing lying in the middle of nowhere. A heap of clothing that looked all too familiar. Then he noticed that it was a young woman. Her dress was dirty, her hair was laying carelessly on the ground. His body stilled when he recognized who it was.  
  
"Malon." He breathed in horror, quickening his steps. "Malon." He said a little louder. Dropping to his knees beside her, he brushed her tangled hair out of her face. "Malon."  
  
Her eyes slowly fluttered open and she peered at the man that had been consuming her dreams. "Link?" She didn't believe it. Sitting up, she brought a shaky hand to his cheek to touch him. To see if he was real. "You're alive?" Tears welled in her eyes as she threw her arms around his neck. "I thought you were dead."  
  
"No." He rubbed her hair with his hand. "I told you I would be back, Malon. I promised you." Sniffing the familiar scent of her hair, he sighed. "I'm here Malon. Just like I promised."  
  
Sniffling, she drew back from him and looked in his face. Noticing the bloody scratches, she shuttered. "Was it horrible? Were you hurt badly? Oh, Link, I'm never letting you go fight a battle again." She sobbed. "I thought you were dead. I thought that you were blown to smithereens."  
  
He couldn't help but chuckle. She was so cute when she was worried. "Malon, I am fine."  
  
"I never want you to leave me again."  
  
"Malon…"  
  
"No." She shook her head, her eyes watery. "Link, you have to promise me."  
  
"I can't promise you that, Malon." He said sadly.  
  
"Why not?" She asked sadly, knowing the answer. "You know what? You don't have to answer that. I know what you will say." Taking her hands away from his face, she pushed her hair behind her ear and stood.  
  
"Malon, do not be angry with me. I do it for you." He helped her stand even though she tried to shrug his help away.  
  
"You do not! You do it for everyone else! All I want you to do is love me, Link! I want you to be with me! I do not want you off fighting immortal creatures!"  
  
"It is hard enough being with you because to get to me, my enemies might try to harm you. And to prevent that from happening, I go off and fight these…these enemies before they even think of hurting you." He argued with her affectionately.  
  
"I don't want you to fight them away from me. Let them harm me."  
  
Dropping his lids over his eyes, he let out a sigh. "I cannot do that. I will not stand back and let something happen to you." He straightened the sword on his back. "I love you."  
  
"And I love you." She pleaded. "Link, what if something happens to you? I could never live." She stepped closer to him, grabbing his hand in hers. "I need you."  
  
"Malon, I know. But I-" The ground vibrated beneath their feet and instantly he pulled her to him, wrapping a secure arm her waist. With his other hand, he pulled his sword from his back and looked toward Hyrule castle. He knew it had something to do with Gannondorf. "Get on Epona and get out of here."  
  
"Link, I cannot leave you here." She said pressed firmly against his chest.  
  
"Please, Malon. Go to my home in Kokiri Forest. I'll meet you there shortly." He looked down in here eyes seriously, seeing the uncertainty. "I promise." He whispered.  
  
Her eyes rimmed with fresh tears for what seemed like the millionth time that day. "Must you continue to put me through this?" She pushed away from him. "I love you!"  
  
He heard the gate to Hyrule Castle opening. He needed her to get out of there before they got to her. "Malon, please. I don't want anything to happen to you. Get on Epona and leave before they come." He motioned towards Epona. He knew how stubborn she could be sometimes. Rolling his eyes, he jogged towards her, pushing the sword back into the holder behind his shield and grabbed her by the waist. In one swift movement, he put her on Epona.  
  
"Link!" She yelled as he sat her on the horse.  
  
"Malon, I will not argue with you. I want you to go and I will meet you there later." He looked up at her pleadingly, he could hear the hooves behind him growing closer. "Please Malon, just go."  
  
She looked down at him with watery eyes and nodded. "Oh alright." She swallowed and grabbed the leather straddle strip.  
  
"I love you." He told her softly, letting her know that he was sorry for being harsh with her.  
  
"I love you, too." She bent down and he met her half way in a soft and sensual kiss.   
  
Brushing the side of her face with his thumb, he cupped her cheek and pulled her face away. "Get out of here." He whispered against her lips.  
  
Prying herself away from his touch, she closed her eyes and willed Epona to run as she left. She couldn't watch herself leave his side. That was never possible. She hated this part.  
  
Link drew his sword again and turned his back to Malon, a hard task considering he wanted to watch her until she was safely ahead. But he had to fight them off. He had to stop them. Gritting his teeth, he ran forward to meet the enemies. And he fought and battled. For Malon.  
  
~~~~ 


End file.
